With today's processors requiring increased current and slew rates, in order to accommodate the requirement for increased internal frequencies, along with progressing voltage reductions, it is necessary to improve the performance of the voltage regulator modules associated with the respective processors.
Currently, however, steep current prorogation from a voltage regulator module to a processor is limited by the impedance of the connections between the voltage regulator module and the processor. In particular, of utmost concern as a limiting factor of the steep current propogation from the voltage regulator module and the processor is the inductance of the current distribution path therebetween. That is, inductance in the connections between the voltage regulator module and a processor can cut off the rate of change of current therebetween.
In order to reduce the inductance of the current distribution path between the voltage regulator module and the processor, the length of conductors therebetween must be minimized. That is, the actual physical distance between the voltage regulator module and the processor must be minimized, to thereby reduce the inductance in the connections therebetween and thus prevent the rate of change of current from being reduced.
FIG. 1 shows an implementation of a component package and voltage regulator module. The package 1, which includes the processor therein, is mounted on substrate 8 which is secured to the motherboard 9 by sockets 6, fan/heatsink 3 is placed on top of the package 1, and fan 4 is provided above the package 1. Further, the package is held in place by surface mount component 5. Voltage regulator module 2 is not at all a part of package 1, and therefore must be plugged into a receptacle 12 on the motherboard 9.